Menu

The tell tale signs that your website is in the autumn of its life

Okay, okay, before you sigh at being reminded that summer is long gone and we are now destined to be clad in the best a sheep can offer for the foreseeable future, there is some good that can come out from the realisation that Autumn/Winter has finally hit. From a business point of view it should tell us that a positive change is on the cards…I am of course talking about the time having come when your company’s website is in need of an overhaul.

There are quite a few things to consider when reviewing your website and they can be based on this simple analogy. Think of your website as a shop. If you don’t change your window display, stock, offers and even layout, slowly but surely your customers will go elsewhere.

Now, like I said, there are a few things to consider so donning my Mystic Meg hat I shall make the prediction that this topic will cover two blogs…just a FYI so you know what to expect next week.

So, first thing first, visuals. Does your website look like an Atari game from your youth or is it an Apple Mac a day keeps wanderers away kind of site. If your site is visually unappealing then customers make a direct correlation to your products or services. Remember, first impressions count!

Next comes the navigation. Do you need to call in the AA or is it child’s play? I know that when I am on a new site, if it is not immediately apparent what I have to do I lose interest. If I’m there to shop, I want to see a big ‘BUY NOW’ button waiting to be clicked. If I’m there for information then I want to see a big ‘CONTACT US’ or ‘FAQ’ button beckoning an action. Don’t assume that the people visiting your site always know what they want. This is where a ‘search’ function can make the difference between a purchasing customer and a fleeting one.

Now we move on to content. Is it factual, relevant, informative and up to date? Did you use a copywriter or give it a bash yourself? Do you now need to use a copywriter to achieve all of the above? Getting your information across whilst gaining recognition in ‘search engine land’ is not as straightforward as just throwing in some words which pertain to your company and services, which brings me nicely onto the last point for this week. Ranking and SEO.

Incorporating search term words is a given when updating your website and these need to be cleverly woven into your copy and content. But gaining a good search engine ranking is a whole new ball game. You need to consider links to and from your site. In other words, are customers being driven to or from your site? Is the very important information on your site in bold or italics, does it stand out both visually and to the inner workings of google?

Now, earlier I said this topic would be spread over two blogs, and I haven’t changed my mind. But in the meantime, if you want to do a little swotting up and get ahead of the game just contact us and we will be more than happy to navigate you in the right direction.

Red Evolution blog

Buy Watertight Marketing

Testimonials

I’d like to thank you for all your help as I think you’ve managed to ‘get us’ and deliver what I asked for, which is a tailor made marketing plan ready to implement.

Marc Samuels

Julie has an engaging, down-to-earth style and is a delight to work with. I would be very happy to recommend her to any company that wants to improve their visibility and grow their business.

Margaret Brown

Julie has just de-mystified the detail of social media issues in an easy to understand and professional way – I highly recommend her to help anyone needing guidance in this area!

Serena HumphreyPorterhouse Restaurant

Julie took the fear out of using Twitter, simplified it and guided me as to how to use it and when…had it not been for Julie’s clear and easy-to-understand tutoring, I would still be sitting on the sidelines and missing some incredible opportunities.

Rosemary McLennanAberdeen PA

I am happy to recommend Julie to my clients when they are needing marketing assistance. Julie is a real expert in her field, she is well organised, consistent in her approach, passionate about what she does and is very approachable. A real pleasure to work with

Kenny GrahamActionCoach

Julie is approachable, competent and has helped us a lot. Highly recommended.

John MacphersonMedia Surgery

We’ve had quite a few emails from people who got the newsletter and have a couple of appointments set up already as a result.

Ivor SmithFifth Dimension

Really happy with the end result and will give you a shout next time I need another one done…

Ann BaileyDovetail Enterprises

With Julie, we get the best of both worlds – we’re not big enough to need a full-time marketing manager, however it’s great being able to call on someone with Julie’s experience, passion & commitment.

Alasdair McGillFreelance World

I decided I really needed an expert to point me in the right direction and put some structure in place. Julie did just that… If you’re needing some guidance with any aspect of your marketing, I’d highly recommend Julie, she really knows her stuff!